News

UNIONDALE, N.Y. – For the Boston Bruins, their future is immediate. For the New York Islanders, their future starts next season.Phil Kessel had three goals and an assist to help the Bruins wrap up their Eastern Conference championship with a 6-2 victory over the Islanders on Sunday

PHILADELPHIA – The Flyers’ blown third-period lead cost them a win and a stay at home.Jeff Carter, Danny Briere and the rest of the Flyers are packing their bags for Pittsburgh for the first round of the playoffs

DENVER – Chris Mason made 28 saves for his sixth shutout of the season, helping the St. Louis Blues take the sixth playoff spot in the Western Conference with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday in the regular-season finale

TORONTO – There’s no statistical way to measure what Ron Wilson considers his biggest success so far with the Toronto Maple Leafs.While future seasons will be about lowering the team’s goals-against average and improving the penalty kill, Wilson’s first year with the Maple Leafs was focused on something quite different – eliminating what he refers to as a “culture of entitlement

MINNEAPOLIS – The Minnesota Wild are getting ready to say goodbye to the only coach they’ve ever known.Jacques Lemaire is stepping down after eight seasons behind the bench

CHICAGO – Nikolai Khabibulin looked like a playoff-ready goaltender, even if the game had little meaning.Khabibulin had 37 saves Sunday to get his 41st career shutout as the Chicago Blackhawks tuned up for their first post-season appearance in seven years by beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-0 in the regular-season finale

MONTREAL – It is springtime, and the Boston Bruins and Montreal Canadiens will meet again in the NHL playoffs.The two so-called Original Six clubs will face off for the 32nd time, and the fourth time in this decade, in the opening round of Eastern Conference playoffs this week

A look at results from other leagues:IIHF Women’s World Championship At Hameenlinna, FinlandNo Games Scheduled.IIHF Men’s Under-18 World Championship Preliminary RoundAt Fargo, N

Scoring summaries from Saturday’s games in the NHL:Canucks 1 at Avalanche 0 (OT)First PeriodNo Scoring.Penalty – Colorado bench (too many men; served by Ledin) 7:22

CALGARY – The longest-tenured coach in the NHL is getting his first chance with Canada’s national team.Lindy Ruff has been named head coach of the Canadian team for the upcoming IIHF World Hockey Championship in Switzerland

MONTREAL – Watch out for the Pittsburgh Penguins heading into the National Hockey League playoffs.A 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night gave them an 18-3-4 record since Dan Bylsma replaced Michel Therrien as head coach on Feb

CALGARY – Mike Cammalleri scored twice and Curtis McElhinney made 35 saves for his first NHL victory as the injury-riddled Calgary Flames capped off a disappointing ending to the regular season Saturday night with a 4-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jacques Lemaire is stepping down as coach of the Minnesota Wild after eight seasons behind the bench.The 63-year-old coach, speaking after the Wild’s season-ending 6-3 victory over Columbus on Saturday night, was coy at first when asked about his future with the team

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Jean-Sebastien Giguere tried to make the most of a rare relief appearance.Giguere played a perfect third period, but Viktor Tikhonov scored in the fourth round of the shootout to lead the Phoenix Coyotes to a 5-4 victory over the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday night

MONTREAL – Evgeni Malkin figured it was about time he started making his mark in the NHL.Malkin secured the Art Ross Trophy, the NHL’s scoring title, with a goal in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ 3-1 season-ending victory Saturday over the Montreal Canadiens

TORONTO – If missing the playoffs for the first time in 13 years wasn’t bad enough, the Ottawa Senators ended their disappointing season by losing 5-2 to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night

CLEVELAND – The Manitoba Moose wrapped up their regular season with a 4-1 win over the Lake Erie Monsters on Saturday in American Hockey League action

ATLANTA – Ilya Kovalchuk waited until the day after last year’s season finale to call for an improved roster.Now that he’s three months into his role as team captain, Kovalchuk spoke out immediately after the Atlanta Thrashers closed another season by missing the playoffs

TORONTO – It was pretty easy to find some significance in what appeared to be a meaningless Battle of Ontario.The joy was there for all to see in the Toronto Maple Leafs dressing room, where Boyd Devereaux and Martin Gerber each wore a big smile after Saturday’s 5-2 victory over Ottawa on Saturday

SUNRISE, Fla. – The Florida Panthers rallied late in the third period Saturday night, scoring twice in an eight-second span to break a 4-4 tie with the Washington Capitals